Light in the Dark
by lordtrayus
Summary: After Traya's betrayal and the encounter with the masters, can Atton save Tahiri from herself before she goes on to face her ultimate challenge, and tell her how he feels into the bargain?


**Diusclaimer: I do not own Star Wars**

Light in the Dark

Atton grimaced as he put the ship into hyperspace. They were bound for Telos, to hopefully stop Atris before she killed Kreia, a secret Sith Lord, whose death, as a result of her force bond to Tahiri, would kill her too.

Tahiri...the Jedi Exile, and the one who had brought the entire group on the _Ebon Hawk_ together to try and save the Jedi, and by extension, save the Republic. When she had rushed into the cockpit earlier, looking distraught, Atton, despite having been wounded by Atris' white clad Echani handmaidens, wanted nothing more than to tell her everything was going to be alright. She had quickly explained what had happened, that Kreia, the old witch who had been with them since the beginning, was actually a Sith Lord who had killed the three remaining Jedi Council members, Zez-Kai Ell, Kavar and Vrook. She explained how Kreia was now bound for Telos, to Atris, the last of the Council, who would undoubtedly kill Kreia for being a Sith, which would kill Tahiri too. After that she had ascertained that the others were alright from the Echani attack, and had then headed to Kreia's chambers to meditate.

Atton looked out at hyperspace as they travelled. Tahiri. Ever since he had first seen her, half-naked on Peragus before the sleeps-with-vibroblades Sith Lord Darth Sion had blown it up, he had been attracted to her. She, despite his best efforts to make sure otherwise, had discovered his past as a Jedi killer for the Sith. But rather than judge him for it, she had forgiven him for it, and had even started to train him as a Jedi. He felt one of the two lightsabers he had created under her guidance at his waist, and took it off his belt, looking at it wonderingly. A few months ago, when he had first met her, he had been on the run from the galaxy, from his past, and from his self. He had suppressed his past, thinking that he had escaped it until Kreia had ruthlessly assaulted his mind in order to get leverage over him that would keep him loyal to the Exile. Not that she had needed it. Atton would follow the Exile anywhere, to the ends of the galaxy if he had to. She was a leader, beautiful and courageous, with some unseen destiny chasing her and her burden of having caused thousands of death during the final battle of the Mandalorian Wars hanging over her. She had accepted him for who he was, without questioning that which he had done in his past, and actually made him feel like a part of the team she had assembled. True, he wasn't a mechanic like T3 or Bao-Dur, he wasn't a healer like the fawning Disciple Mical, he wasn't Force mystic like Visas and Kreia, and he wasn't a fighter like Mira and Mandalore, but nevertheless, Tahiri, despite everything she had to deal with as being the only true Jedi left and being the only hope for the Republic, had made him feel included, part of something bigger, just like Revan had. And that was more than enough to ensure his loyalty to her. The fact that he was attracted to her didn't matter...

Or did it? Despite Kreia's manipulations of him, he was loyal to the Exile, without the interference of the old hag. Throughout their journey, he had followed her lead, fighting with her, laughing with her and the others, taking the piss out of Kreia with Mira and Bao-Dur and her, and generally melding with her style. He had been the one to help her off Peragus. He, along with Visas, had battled through GO-TO's yacht to save her. He had waited for her outside Ludo Kressh's tomb on Korriban, whereas no one else had. He had been there to calm her down from what she had seen in the tomb, rattled from the vision of her friends turning on an obviously evil Kreia. It was slightly ironic that the vision she had feared the most was actually the one that had come true. He remembered just holding her to him, letting her get her head on straight, before they had gone on into the academy with Bao-Dur to discover that Lonna Vash was dead and had been with her during their narrow escape from Darth Sion. He, not anyone else, not even Visas, her best friend, or Mical, the one she had been meant to train as a Padawan, was the one who she had entrusted to stop the Sith at the tomb of Freedon Nadd. And she had been the one who had awaken Atton to the Force, letting him hear it's thoughts and awakening his potential as a Jedi. She was a constant presence in his thoughts, her beauty, courage and skill affecting him more than the rest and making him more dedicated to protecting her, just like the old witch Kreia had wanted in the first place.

Atton sighed as he considered the Exile. He had been the one she had rushed to find out if he was alright, as soon as she had returned from the Enclave. It had been him who she had rushed to see, to check that he was alright. Did that mean something?

He closed his eyes and stretched out with the Force, just like she had taught him. He could feel Visas in the starboard dormitory, full of trepidation as she knew they would soon have to face her master in combat. He could feel Bao-Dur, tinkering away in the garage, his thoughts focused, but still worried about what Kreia was doing. He could barely discern T3, HK and GO-TO. He could feel Mira, feeling her annoyance that she had been jumped by the Echani and her eagerness to get to Telos to save her mentor. He could feel Mandalore, who was in the comm room, sending a message to his troops. And he could feel Mical, back in the med lab, where he belonged, pondering deeply.

And then he felt Tahiri, her mind a mess of tangled emotions. Normally, touching her with the Force was like a tempestuous sea, chaotic, but with a small centre of calm that was protecting her innermost thoughts. But now, the entire thing felt like it had devolved into a whirlpool and her emotions were raging around her and through her, the calm centre no longer existing due to Kreia's betrayal and because of whatever had transpired during the meeting with the masters. He had wanted to go with her, to make sure she was alright, but she had said that she had to face them alone. He'd had a bad feeling about it, but she had said to him that she would be fine. She definitely didn't feel fine. She felt anything but fine, and he could tell that everything was getting to her. Deciding, he got up in order to go to her. This time, he wasn't going to leave her alone.

As he walked, his robes, which he still had not quite gotten used to wearing, swirled around him, much like his thoughts. Was he going to her as a friend, and due to the departure of Kreia, the only meatbag as HK would put it, who had been with her since the beginning, or was he going to her because he wanted to be something more?

Atton knew in his heart that he loved her. He had loved her the moment he had set eyes on her, falling in love with her beauty first, and then falling in love with the rest of her, bit by bit. He knew that Mical loved her too, but his was a fawning love, like he hung on her every word, and quite frankly it was sickening. He had seen Visas cringe when she had seen him at it, and the fact that the blind Sith was against him appealed to Atton's sense of humour slightly. Atton had been against him ever since he had joined the party on Dantooine, but Atton knew in his heart that Mical had a lot more to offer Tahiri than he ever could. He knew that Tahiri deserved better than him, but that didn't stop him loving her. He only wanted to make sure she was alright, he tried to convince himself as he headed to where she was.

"Atton, I think she wants to be alone." Mical cautioned as he came out of the med room.

Atton narrowed his eyes at the blond, intense dislike shining through.

"I know. That's why I'm going to see her. After what she's been through, being alone is the worst thing that could happen to her." He said firmly, turning his back on his rival for her affections.

"You don't know what she needs." Mical said quietly.

"I don't, I admit it. But seems to me that you've already been and she sent you packing. So, call me cynical, but that makes it seem to me that you don't know either." Atton said waspishly, and he gloated inwardly as he saw Mical look a little irked by this statement.

"You don't know what she means to the galaxy. If we lose her..." Mical began, but Atton rolled his eyes and blasted with against the wall with a Force push.

Tahiri would tell him off, but he didn't care.

"I am just as concerned about her as you are kid. Dont ever think I don't care about her, or what Kreia is trying to do. And it seems to me that a former Jedi should have realised that she was evil in the first place." Atton growled, and then swept away from Mical, who was looking at Atton's retreating back in shock.

He hated to admit it, but he was right. Kreia had manipulated him, and had forced him not to say anything about her Sith origins. And Mical also knew that the other thing that Atton had said was true...he loved Tahiri as much as he did.

Sighing, he headed back to the med room, while Mira, who had watched the exchange with interest, frowned. If what was about to happen what she thought was about to happen, she would soon be owing a lot of credits to T3, Mandalore and Visas. And quite frankly, it would suck.

Atton entered the room, and looked at Tahiri sadly. She was huddled up on the middle bed, her arms wrapped around her legs. Her eyes were full of sadness, pain, betrayal and incomprehension. Seeing her, this beautiful Jedi, his Jedi, like that, nearly broke his heart. Her pale face was stained with tears, her green eyes full of tears, and her blonde hair, despite not having moved out of its usual small ponytail, was hanging limply. To Atton, she just looked haggard, burnt out. And, as she looked like that, he knew he was right to come here. He strode over and sat down beside her. Without even saying anything, she snuggled up into his chest, and Atton held her in his arms.

Tahiri snuggled up to him, tears running down her face as she cried quietly. Atton looked down at her, love and pity in his eyes, but she didn't see it. She just leaned against him, tight in his arms, and cried. Atton looked down at her, the reasons why he hated the vast majority of Jedi, and Kreia, coming back to him full force. They were the ones who had done this to her.

"Hey, it's ok...." he said quietly, stroking her cheek with the back of his hand to wipe away the tears.

Tahiri shook her head, and Atton realised that making her talk would be the only way to fix this.

"What happened back there?" he asked gently.

Tahiri snorted ironically.

"The masters were afraid to gather because they were afraid the Sith would finally be drawn out. Turns out, the Sith were with us all along. Kreia, or Darth Traya, as she actually is, killed them all. Vrook, though he isn't a great loss, arrogant opinionated old bastard, Zez-Kai Ell, Kavar...all of them are gone. And she killed them to protect me from them."

Atton looked at her in shock. Watching three Jedi Masters, who were meant to be the strongest in the Order getting killed by Traya had to have done a number on Tahiri. But why would she need protected from the Jedi?

"What were the Jedi doing to you that made the old bag kill them?" he asked worriedly.

Tahiri sighed bitterly.

"They were going to blind me to the Force again." She growled, the betrayal still stinging.

Atton tilted her head to look up at him, the pain in her eyes rending his heart.

"What?" he asked furiously.

Tahiri stood up, then stood facing the wall, away from Atton.

"Do you ever wonder why you're here Atton?" she asked softly.

Atton stood up and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Because of you." He said gently as he rested his chin on her shoulder.

"That's the problem." She said, a sob in her voice.

"What do you mean?" he asked as she turned her head into his chest.

"The master's think...that the Sith, especially Visas' master, are stemmed from me. They say I unintentionally create Force bonds wherever I go, and its that that makes people act with me, do what I want. They think I form bonds which I feed off, which is how I become stronger when I kill people, because I take their power into me. They say I feed on death...and my bonds make people act with me. Look at Mira, she never used to kill. Now she does, because of me. I'm turning you against yourselves. The Council..." she wept.

Atton narrowed his eyes, furious at the Jedi for doing this to her. He tilted her head up to look him right in the eyes.

"You listen to me. The Council, for all their vaunted wisdom, aren't right. In fact, they rarely get it right. And I know they're wrong about you." He said firmly.

Tahiri opened her mouth, but Atton shook his heads firmly.

"No. Not a chance." He said, staring at her.

Tahiri looked up at the former Jedi killer. He had been there for her when no one else had been, he had been with her from the beginning, he had saved her from GO-TO, had been willing to protect her from assassins, and he had been her first apprentice. Now, she was looking deeply into his hazel eyes, filled with nothing but sympathy and defiance, defiance for what the Council had done to her. She thought privately that he had always been the one to brighten up her day, despite the fact that he frequently drove her insane. He was her light in a galaxy where most other things seemed dark.

And now she found herself looking into his hazel eyes, wrapped in his grip, and she felt the safest she had done for ages.

"But why are you with me then? If it weren't for me influencing all of you, you'd all have gone by now, I'm the one who's keeping you all here..." she whispered.

"No you're not Tahiri. The only influence you've had on any of us is a positive one. The Council is wrong, you hear me? You are not what they think you are. We're here because we want to be, and because we believe in what you're doing. Not because of some Force bond. They are wrong about you." He said fiercely, willing her to believe him, so that he could get her back from the edge of depression.

Tahiri looked up at him, wanting to believe him. But what if the masters were right, and it was her facet for forming bonds that had kept them all here?

"Then why are you all still here?" she asked, her voice pleading.

Atton looked down at his beautiful Jedi, hoping that he could save her from herself.

"We're here because we want to be, because we care about you, and because we all owe you. You saved us. Look at Visas, you saved her from her master. You saved Bao-Dur from his guilt and gave him the peace he needed to become a Jedi. You saved Mira from her fear and gave her the courage to follow your footsteps. And you saved Mical from his reluctance and gave him the drive he needed to become a Jedi again." He intoned, willing her to believe him, willing Tahiri, his beautiful Jedi, to see that she was not a cipher like the Council had told her, and was actually rather than a drain, was actually a boost to her companions.

Tahiri still looked unconvinced, but Atton wasn't going to give up. He wasn't going to let her do this to herself.

"The Council said that in me they see the death of the Force." She mumbled.

Atton growled.

"Well those Jedi aren't as clever as they think. They see the death of the Force in you? I don't. I see the death of the Sith, and the life of the galaxy. You strengthen people with your bonds Tahiri, you don't corrupt of influence them badly. If anyone is bonded to you, its a good thing. You make people's lives better by being around them. You wont kill the Force, you'll make it stronger if anything, like you made all of us stronger." He said to her, stroking her hair behind her ear.

And finally, the depressive shroud that had formed around her in the Enclave broke, and yet again it was Atton, her light, that had dispelled the darkness around her.

"The Jedi are wrong about you. Always were." He muttered into her ear as he held her to him, her gorgeous body in his embrace.

"Thank you Atton. You're always there for me...even when you didn't want to be." She whispered as he held her.

"And I always will be, even if it means going to the ends of the galaxy with you." He vowed, meaning every word.

Tahiri then turned to look up at him, her eyes cautious, as though she was afraid of what would come next.

"You never said why you followed me." She said leadingly.

Atton looked down at her, her beautiful green eyes, her gorgeous face, her lithe body, and looked even deeper, into her heart, her courage, her belief in him and the others, her leadership, and her love.

"You saved me from my past, and gave me a future." He said simply, and she smiled at him.

"I don't know if I can do this Atton. I don't know if I can stop Traya, Visas' master and Sion, all at once. Or if I can save the Republic." She admitted, her fear for what she would have to do coming through.

Atton kissed the top of her head.

"I know you will, for two reasons. One reason is that you've got all of us behind you, all fighting with you and for you. We'll fight the Sith till the end if thats what it takes to save you." He promised, knowing that all of the others would make similar vows.

"And the other?"

Atton took a deep breath, hoping she wouldn't figure out how he felt about her when he said this.

"And the other is because you're the brightest thing in this galaxy, the light in a sea of dark. And they cant snuff out your light. We wont let them, and you wont let them." He said into her ear, and Tahiri actually believed it.

"Atton..." she began.

He continued to be there for her, the only one aside from Visas who knew what it was like to be linked to something you just wanted to run from. The one who believed in her the most, the one who respected her the most, the one she cared for the most. As she was sure he would have noticed, she had run straight to the cockpit to check that he was alright when she had returned from the Enclave, despite having gone past HK and Mira on the way. She...loved him. She was in love with Atton, but it had been so quiet, she hadn't noticed until now. He was her light, the one who dispelled her darkness, the one who made her feel better even when things looked bleak. He was there for her when no one else was, and for a while had been her only companion other than a courageous little droid who didn't say much and an irritable old woman who happened to be a Sith. He was attractive, with hazel eyes that could hide what he wanted behind them, except from her, and soft brown hair that she had occasionally stroked out of his face when he had fallen asleep in the cockpit. He had a strong body, muscled and lean. He also cared deeply for her, he was loyal and she knew that he meant with all his heart everything that he had said to her. She was his light, just as he was hers.

"Yeah?" he asked, stroking the last tear from her cheek with his thumb.

He looked at his beautiful Tahiri, the brightest thing in his galaxy. He had stopped her beating herself up and believing what the damn masters had said. That sort of arrogance was why he hated the Jedi...except her and the ones she had trained her. He could never hate her. He loved her with all his heart, more than he loved the one he had killed for crawling inside his head. She was beautiful, courageous, caring and strong. She was small, with brown-blonde hair, and piercing vivid green eyes that brightened up wherever she was within seconds. She was slim and attractive, and he loved her for all those reasons and more. She was the reason he had stayed, not Kreia's manipulations. She was the source of his strength, the one who had saved him from himself, and he would do anything to save her.

"Atton, all this time you've been there for me, and I never told you...I know its bad to tell you now, when I might be about to die, but all this time, I don't know, it felt sort of repressed, maybe it was Kreia, but Atton..." she said, looking up into his eyes, that were open only to her.

"Yeah?" Atton asked hoarsely, his mouth dry, and he was aroused despite himself.

"I love you." She said, and Atton's heart cried out in triumph as he heard the words he had longed to hear ever since he had first seen her.

Atton smiled at her, no longer having to hide how much he loved her.

"And I love you too Tahiri." He said, gently took her cheek, craned his neck and kissed her beautiful lips.

The kiss was hesitant at first, but then Tahiri pressed her warm, soft lips against his firm smooth ones, her spicy sent filling his senses while his sugary scent filled hers. She reached up, her hand grabbing a handful of his hair gently, while one of his arms snaked down and held her waist while the other ran through her soft hair as the world spun around them. Nothing else mattered as the two kissed, and it was just the two lights in the univserse together.

XX

Mira entered Visas' quarters to see the blind Sith, one of her best friends, smiling smugly.

"Seen something you like?" she asked, sitting on a bed.

"Oh yes." She said simply, as Mandalore, T3, GO-TO, HK and Bao-Dur all entered.

"Query: what the hell are they doing in there?" HK asked as he looked down at the blind Sith, who was now the source of all the news of the goings on in the ship now that Traya had revealed her true colours.

"They've been there for ages. You reckon the General is alright?" Bao-Dur asked Visas, who nodded.

"She is fine. Actually, she is a lot better than she has been in a while now that the witch is no longer suppressing her feelings through their Force bond." She stated.

"She could do that? That's just creepy." Mandalore said, then looked at the Sith, a grin on his lips as what she had said hit him.

"Wait, where are they? Where the old bag stayed?" he asked eagerly.

Visas nodded, a smile on her lips, and T3 whistled happily at Mandalore.

"I know. Its that room I reckon." He said to the little droid.

"What are you talking about Mandalorian?" GO-TO asked.

T3 beeped cheerily, and Mira and Bao-Dur narrowed their eyes as Visas smiled happily.

"Atton and Tahiri have finally admitted that they love each other. It will upset Mical but there you are." She said, quite pleased that Atton was the one who had won her best friend's heart rather than the fawning disciple.

"What have I missed?" Bao-Dur asked, though he had a sneaky suspicion.

"Statement: I believe the master and the pilot are pressing their slimy, mucus covered lips together in the port dormitory." HK said sardonically.

Mira yelped, and looked at Visas.

"Are they?" she demanded.

"Yes. Pay up Mira." Visas said happily, holding out her hand.

"What? She went for him!? I thought Mical was a cert!" Bao-Dur pouted.

"Nah, love on this ship is normally someone who stays in the cockpit." Mandalore advised.

"Bugger!" GO-TO cursed.

"Query: you bet on the healer as well fat one?" HK asked.

"Yes. Now I owe the Mandalorian, the Sith and the beeping little trash compactor credits." The round droid grumbled, and deposited credits into Visas and Mandalore's outstretched hands, and into T3's awaiting claw.

"It's immoral that we placed bets on who she would wind up going with." Mira said hesitantly.

"No dice girly, pay up." Mandalore said, and Mira scowled as she handed the credits to the three winners.

"And we call ourselves Jedi." Bao-Dur said, shaking his head as he too paid up.

"Statement: I am now out of pocket. I shall have to go and kill something to make myself feel better." HK said, handing over his credits.

Visas smiled as she, Mandalore and T3 pocketed their winnings.

"Now, leave them alone. The three of us won fair and square, and Tahiri and Atton are making out. Hence, we won." She said with a smile, and the defeated members left, grumbling.

"It's that room definitely." Mandalore said to T3, who beeped happily as they left.

"Good for you two. Make the most of it. And while you do that, I shall do some internet shopping and make the most of my winnings. Mama needs a new pair of shoes..." Visas said happily and headed to the computer.

XX

"Everybody sing this song, doo daa, everybody sing this song all the doo daa day!" Traya sung cheerily as her ship hurtled through hyperspace towards Malachor.

It had been a good day. She had fulfilled her original intentions as a Sith, wiping out the Jedi Council by draining them of the Force. Now, Vrook, the opinionated old fool, Kavar, the overconfident do-gooder and Zez-Kai Ell, the reluctant objector, were all dead, stripped of the Force on Dantooine. She had turned the last member of the Council, Atris, the arrogant perfectionist, to the dark side, and Tahiri would soon confront her and kill her, removing that threat to the galaxy. And very soon her former apprentice Darth Nihilus would attack Telos, find no prey to feed upon, and would be killed by Tahiri, saving the galaxy from his hunger. All her enemies would be wiped out in a single, glorious day, and then when she got rid of the Force as she intended, that would get rid of her other treacherous former apprentice Darth Sion, and start a new galaxy devoid of the Force. And all because of the Exile.

She could feel Tahiri's hurt at her betrayal, the hurt she felt t the Council's judgement, and it made Traya smile. If Tahiri became a new Darth Traya upon her death, one who had been betrayed in their heart, and would betray in turn, so be it. And she knew that Tahiri would kill her as she would kill the other Sith that would stop her getting to her master, and this knowledge pleased her.

All was going according to plan.

And them, she felt it from Tahiri. Great elation, and a rush of love, and Traya wondered where it came from. Then, through their bond, she saw what Tahiri was doing.

"What!? Oh for god sake! The Force is in danger, you think I might kill myself at any moment, so rather than sit there and worry about me and what could possibly drive me to do all this, you stick your tongue down the throat of the fool!? I mean come on! For the love of...! Ohhhh!" Traya fumed, and vented her frustrations by smashing the panel of the navicomputer.

She felt it as the kiss continued, Tahiri's elation at Atton sharing her feelings making her feel lightheaded. Traya fumed, consigned to having to deal with the visions she was getting of Atton and Tahiri's kiss, though she wished she still had her bond to Sion. He would probably be mutilating himself in some new twisted way, but it had to be better than watching this.

"Come on! At least the tiny Jedi had something to offer one such as you! But you chose the fool! I mean really! The Force is about to be wiped out, and you're snogging the fool! If I didn't know any better and felt that you did love him, I'd say you were doing it to spite me!" she raged to the silence of her ship, her tirade directed at her apprentice.

She loved her apprentice, and had a very specific view of the future she wanted for her last pupil. As such, throughout their journey she had had to encourage her to go on, and subtly use her Force bond to her student to prevent her feelings for the fool from coming to the fore. But as she was now gone...the moderating influence was gone. And without Traya there to keep him in check, the fool could now tell the Exile that he loved her back. Blast it.

"Damn it! The Exile...and the fool. I mean, ugh!" Traya growled, and kicked the computer.

It made her feel slightly better for a millisecond.

"Ow!" she hissed as the pain set in.

Ah well. Not to worry. She would give the fool to Sion to play with. That would give the Exile the strength she needed to defeat her former master in combat, seeing how she had allowed Sion to mutilate the one she loved. Yes...that sounded nice. But still, the simple fact that Tahiri had chosen him, now of all times, when her destiny was so near, meant that the Force must be out to infuriate Traya into insanity.

"The sooner I destroy the Force the better. You hear me!? You're next!" she yelled to the void.

And as her ship hurtled towards Malachor, her foot throbbing, in the quiet of the ship, she felt Tahiri's love for Atton, sickening though it was and heard a whisper...like someone laughing. The Force, laughing at her.

"Ohhhh." She hissed, as her apprentice continued to kiss the man she loved.

The Force had to go, to stop this if nothing else. No more playing tricks, no more game of balance...and no more trying to drive Traya insane.

But as Tahiri renewed her kiss from afar, Traya screamed and smacked her head on the console in resignation to the show she was unintentionally getting. The Force was torturing her. And, it was most likely enjoying it.

XX

They finally broke off, coming back to themselves.

"Wow." Tahiri said breathlessly.

"Yeah." Atton said, grinning at her.

"I should have done that ages ago." She said, then kissed Atton's lips lightly.

"So should I." He said, kissing her passionately.

"What do I tell Mical?" she asked as they broke off.

"Can I tell him?" Atton asked eagerly.

Tahiri narrowed her green eyes and smiled.

"No. You may be good with distraught women, but jealous guys, I don't think so." She said, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Hey." He said joking, poking her shoulder.

They stood in silence for a couple of seconds, before Atton looked at her curiously.

"Hey, I just thought...would the old witch have felt that?" he asked worriedly.

Tahiri nodded reluctantly.

"Possibly. Not the kiss, but my feelings about you kissing me, she'll definitely have got." She said lightly.

"So..." Atton began.

"I'm sure its torturing her endlessly." Tahiri said with relish as she kissed him deeply again.

"I can live with that." Atton said happily as they broke off.

"We're coming up on Telos!" Mira called from the cockpit.

"Here we go. You ready?" he asked her gently, holding her close.

Tahiri took a deep breath and looked up at him, her light, the one who made her feel she could do anything.

"Yes. I am going to kick Atris' butt because as I didn't feel Traya kill her I must assume she's gone to the dark side, then I'll bump off Visas' master, then I'll tackle old sleeps-with-vibroblades, then I'll sort out Kreia. In that order." She said confidently.

Atton smiled at her lovingly.

"And I'll be with you every step of the way." He promised.

She kissed him deeply again.

"I know." She said, and beckoned to him as they headed to the cockpit.

They were there for each other, the two lights in each other's darkness...and their darkness was about to get a lot brighter as they headed out to face their destiny together.

**Hello there!**

**Here's just a nice little prequel sort of to my KOTOR III story, which I promise we shall be back with soon!**

**Now, despite her less than complimentary names, Traya is one of my favourite Sith, so this is not Traya bashing...but there are aspects of Vrook bashing, which you may know of considering his grizzly fate in my other KOTOR story.**

**And there is an element of Mical bashing...I do think he is a bit fawny. The Exile belongs with Atton!**

**As explained in Kotor III, I called her Tahiri because I used the one with the darker blonde hair in a ponytail and I didnt think she fitted anything else, and on the Wookieepedia page for the Exile, she is the bottom right hand picture before the two at the bottom when it shows you all her possible faces. Needless to say I wouldnt have called her Tahiri if I knew what she would do in Legacy of the Force.**

**And no, the others shouldnt have made bets on who she would end up with. Very bad of them, but T3 and Mandalore called it right...though they have prior knowledge. And as to that, HK didnt vote that way most likely because he would entertain more fantasies of killing Atton than killing Mical.**

**Hope you like, please read and review, and Kotor III will return soon!**


End file.
